Activities may be undertaken at periodic intervals and/or for a predetermined duration, whether in accordance with a schedule or as desired. In addition, certain foods, for example, eggs or rice are cooked for a designated amount of time to be optimal. Similarly, teeth whiteners or hair dyes are applied for a predetermined amount of time to be effective, or may need to be applied periodically to maintain efficacy. Certain activities, for example, exercise may be undertaken for a predetermined minimum amount of time to be effective. The efficacy of a medication typically depends on a patient adhering to the dosage and frequency requirements of the medication.
Further, certain activities undertaken more often than recommended may produce unwanted effects. For example, undertaking certain exercises for prolonged periods or more often than recommended may lead to injuries. Certain medications, if consumed more often than prescribed, may produce serious complications and in some cases such complications may be more severe than the condition such medication is prescribed to treat.
For prescription medication, a physician typically advises an individual with information regarding how often a medication is to be consumed. In addition, information regarding how often to consume the medication and the dosage to consume may be printed on a label that accompanies the medication. Similarly, instructions associated with other products or activities may include information about how often such product is to be consumed or activity is to be undertaken.
Even when such instructions are provided, the individual is still responsible for tracking when a dose of the medication has been consumed, a product has been utilized, and/or an activity has been undertaken. Further, the individual may need to track when to consume the next dose of the medication, or utilize the product and/or undertake the activity again. Such tracking may be particularly difficult if the memory of the patient is compromised, if the medication or product is not to be consumed or used, or the activity undertaken everyday or at regular intervals.